{"id":34808,"date":"2025-06-08T15:19:17","date_gmt":"2025-06-08T19:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/?p=34808"},"modified":"2025-06-08T15:19:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-08T19:19:17","slug":"ram-trucks-returning-to-the-nascar-craftsman-truck-series-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2025\/06\/08\/ram-trucks-returning-to-the-nascar-craftsman-truck-series-in-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"RAM Trucks returning to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>RAM Trucks announced they will be returning to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. For the first time in 13 years, the Truck Series will have a new manufacturer, making four different truck makes on track.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34811\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34811\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-34811 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/06\/RM025_011MO-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/06\/RM025_011MO-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/06\/RM025_011MO-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/06\/RM025_011MO-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/06\/RM025_011MO-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/06\/RM025_011MO-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/06\/RM025_011MO-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/06\/RM025_011MO-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34811\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The RAM Concept NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Truck at Darlington Raceway.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>RAM Trucks returning to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series<\/h2>\n<p>The brand synonymous with performance and power is returning to the loudest Truck racing series in the country. RAM Trucks and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.<\/p>\n<p>RAM Trucks was crucified by fans for getting rid of the iconic HEMI V8 engine from the trucks, switching to an inline 6-cylinder engine. It was seen as an emotional and cultural murder by consumers, the beloved HEMI engine replaced by an untested platform. Well, alongside bringing the HEMI back, RAM is returning to motorsport.<\/p>\n<p>To announce the return, RAM put the truck on a custom-built trailer towed by a RAM 5500 and did a red, white, and blue donut right on the front stretch of Michigan International Speedway.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Ram announces its return to the NASCAR Truck Series (officially). <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/C2ZZR3hUvU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/C2ZZR3hUvU<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jeff_gluck\/status\/1931760152287338568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 8, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>NASCAR and RAM Excited For A Return To Racing:<\/h3>\n<p>Tim Kuniskis, who spearheaded the Dodge brand with iconic cars like the Hellcat and Demon, has returned to be the CEO of RAM. In the release sent out, he said&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor more than a decade, customers and our dealer network asked about getting back into NASCAR. The desire was always there, but we didn\u2019t have a plan that delivered the last tenth and following just didn\u2019t fit our DNA. \u201cNow we have a solid plan that will set us apart from the field and will bring fresh new interest and engagement to America\u2019s Motorsport.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the same statement, John Probst, NASCAR&#8217;s executive vice president and chief racing development officer, spoke about the excitement of the moment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are excited to welcome Ram back to the sport. Its identity includes high performance, durability, and innovation \u2013 characteristics that embody NASCAR and, specifically, the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Who Is Driving a RAM Truck and Is Dodge Coming Back?<\/h3>\n<p>No teams and drivers were announced, but the rumors are circulating. Some are saying GMS Racing, which shut down at the end of 2023, will return. Personalities like Frankie Muniz and Garrett Mitchell, better known as Cleetus McFarland, are rumored to be aligned with the return.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read More:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2023\/08\/25\/nascar-truck-series-gms-racing-to-close-at-end-of-2023-and-its-a-serious-mistake\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">NASCAR Truck Series: GMS Racing to Close at End of 2023<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While RAM&#8217;s return is confirmed, questions have been circulating about another Stellantis brand, Dodge. If Dodge does make a return to NASCAR, it would most likely be in 2027 or later. Dodge has been rumored to return to the series for years now. It would be a huge moment for an iconic brand like Dodge to return to the Cup Series.<\/p>\n<p>The brand says they will have four to six teams (individual trucks) when the 2026 season kicks off in Daytona.<\/p>\n<p>As a RAM Truck owner, I am excited. No longer do I have to root for a truck I do not own in the Truck Series. It also gives opportunities for other drivers from other series to come to NASCAR and race. Could we see Matt Hagan, who drives for Dodge in NHRA, come make a Truck Series start? Could drivers from the NASCAR Canada Series make starts? We will only see.<\/p>\n<p>I will be rooting for a RAM truck to roll into victory lane in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>RAM Trucks announced they will be returning to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. For the first time in 13 years, the Truck Series will have a new manufacturer, making four different truck makes on track. RAM Trucks returning to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series The brand synonymous with performance and power is returning to the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4347,"featured_media":34812,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5,1666],"tags":[493,1427,2545],"class_list":["post-34808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-nascar","category-nascar-camping-world-truck-series","tag-dodge","tag-michigan-international-speedway","tag-ram"],"modified_by":"Hayden Murdock","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34808","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4347"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34808"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34808\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34814,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34808\/revisions\/34814"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34812"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}